


Damage Control

by batneko



Series: Laserbox AU [5]
Category: OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes
Genre: Laserblast is kind of a dick let's be real, Laserbox AU, M/M, please do not look too closely at the timeline, stress-eating with lollipops
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-03-26
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:48:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23324221
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/batneko/pseuds/batneko
Summary: One slip-up is all it takes.
Relationships: Lord Boxman/Professor Venomous
Series: Laserbox AU [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1677322
Comments: 16
Kudos: 82





	Damage Control

Laserblast had never paid much attention to the construction site across the road from Boxmore. Boxman seemed to dislike it for some reason, but whenever Laser came over there were more important things to do and discuss, so he hadn't gotten any details. Maybe it was loud.

It was usually late when Laserblast arrived, and early when he left, and he'd never seen anyone actually working on it.

Until today.

Laserblast hadn't pulled far enough into the garage at Boxmore for the door to close behind him - a slip he didn't notice until he was standing up - and a glint of light caught his eye from all the way across the highway.

There was a figure standing there, head turned toward him. It was too far and too dark to make out more than the outline, but Laser _knew_ that outline. He knew a lot of people through his hero work with that kind of broad-chested towering frame. This one though… there was something about it. Something that set off alarm bells in his brain.

Especially when they noticed him looking back and quickly turned and walked away. It was possible, however unlikely, that the figure had recognized him even in civilian clothes. It was possible, however unlikely, that Laserblast had just been made.

He took a breath. Okay. Nothing was unfixable.

Chances were the person hadn’t recognized him at all, and if Laserblast went inside and spent the night with Boxman as planned, nothing would happen. But if they _had,_ and they could prove it, Laserblast would lose… everything. His job, his home, his reputation. His joint custody. _Everything._

The risk was too great. Laser had to do damage control, even if that meant the possibility of confirming what the witness didn’t know. He dropped back into the driver’s seat and sent a quick text to Boxman.

_Have to take care of something._

It buzzed with a reply a moment later, but Laser was already pulling out of the garage and ignored it. Another buzz followed, and Laser was sure if he looked back he would see Boxman watching him from the window. He could explain later.

As soon as traffic broke, Laserblast booked it across the highway. The construction site was surrounded by a cheap chain-link fence, helpfully plastered with signs about where to rent them, as well as a few handmade signs declaring  _ Trespassers Will Be Engaged In Combat. _

Straightforward. Laser could appreciate that.

The recently-paved driveway into the site had plenty of room for Laser to sit and idle. Only when he spotted that broad figure approaching once again did Laser grab for something to look nonchalant with. He could have checked his phone, replied to Boxman’s texts, but he found himself unwrapping one of the suckers he kept in his cupholder.

The familiar weight on his tongue helped ground him as the mysterious figure walked into the light, and recognition finally dawned.

Laserblast plastered on his most professional smile and rolled down the window. “El-Bow! Long time no see.” From the recesses of his memory, Laserblast dredged up a name. “Well, it’s Eugene, isn’t it?”

“Um. Yes.”

The former El-Bow looked good, Laser had to admit. The last few years hadn’t been as hard on him as one might assume. If anything he’d only packed on  _ more  _ muscle, and he was sporting a bouffant hairstyle that suited him surprisingly well.

But the body language had dropped into awkward submission as soon as he saw Laserblast’s face. This might be easy after all.

“I uh, I don’t think I ever knew your real name?”

Laser smiled a little wider, showing more teeth. “No, you wouldn’t have. I don’t use it.”

“Wh- Not at all?”

“No.” He didn’t offer any more information. “So hey! This is what you’re doing now?” Night security wasn’t the cream of careers, but it was respectable. At least for a location like this, with a villain across the street.

“Uh, yeah. This is my property, so I’m developing it into, um, like a shopping plaza.”

“ This is  _ your  _ property?” Laser tried not to sound as surprised as he felt. He was pretty sure he’d pulled it off. Blunting his natural reactions to things had become second nature over the years. “That’s great!”

“Yeah, I’ve got a- a few renters already. It’s gonna be good, I think.” Behind his mirrored glasses, Laserblast thought he saw Eugene’s eyes dart toward the road. “Is this… your car?”

“Yep! Traded in the bike a few years ago. Can’t exactly put a carseat on a motorcycle.”

“C- carseat?”

Cob, he really had been out of the loop. It wasn’t exactly  _ common  _ knowledge that Laserblast and Silver Spark had a kid, but most professional heroes knew. If Eugene had kept any contacts in the business at all, he should have heard.

"Yep! K.O. doesn't need one anymore, but I recently adopted a girl who does."

Laser took the photo he kept on his sun visor and climbed out of the car. He noted - with some satisfaction - the way Eugene backed up out of reach.

He held out the picture, not entirely putting on a front as he said, "K.O. really looks like a perfect mix of me and Sparks, don't you think?"

It was a relatively recent one. K.O. and Fink, stacking alphabet blocks. Fink was blurry - Laser wasn't sure if she didn't understand the noise rectangle could take pictures, or if she just hated sitting still  _ that much _ . But it had been the best of the lot and blurry kind of suited her.

Eugene swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing in his thick throat. How much pressure would it take to crush his windpipe? "He… he really does. Um. How is Carol, by the way?"

“Sparks? Fine. Can't ever knock that woman down.”

“So they- That's why she cut down on hero work so much.”

"I didn't ask her to," Laser said quickly. It was true, but more importantly he didn't want Eugene to think badly of him. At the moment.

"No, um, I didn't think… S- so you guys adopted another kid, too?"

Lying wouldn't help. If Eugene found out the truth later he'd be suspicious of _everything_ Laser had said to him. "No, only I did. Sparks and I aren't actually together anymore. We're still co-parenting, of course."

"Oh!"

Ah. The way his expression lightened was all but confirmation. This was an edge. Laser could _use_ this.

With another publicity smile, Laser asked, "Is there somewhere we can talk?"

Eugene led him to a building that looked almost complete. All the frames were finished, as near as Laser could tell, but this was the only one with actual glass in the windows.

The inside already had some shelving units and a lot of crates. A back room had some mismatched furniture and a battered table, all of it covered in stacks of paperwork.

"You've been… busy," Laser said.

"Yeah. There's a lot to do." Eugene scooped a couple stacks off a couch, balancing them precariously against his biceps, and made enough room for both of them to sit down.

"Well good. I'm glad for you, Eugene." Laser added a touch of softness to his voice. "I mean that."

"Um." He managed a smile. "Thanks, Laserblast."

It almost sounded like a question, so Laser sunk down on the couch and sighed. "I don't think I was very... fair to you, the last time we saw each other."

Rather than sitting next to him, Eugene cleared off a chair and sat there instead. It was more sturdy than the couch, leaving Eugene's eyeline nearly as high as when they'd been standing.

"I wouldn't say that," Eugene said. He sounded sincere, which was a bit of a surprise.

"Because you're a nice guy." Laser smiled up at him. "I took out how I was feeling on you. You made a mistake. I'm still not sure why-" He was a lot more sure  _ now _ , but back then he hadn't really been thinking about it. "-but it shouldn't have mattered. I'm sure I said things that hurt you, even if I can't remember what."

That was true. The weeks after he lost his powers were sort of a blur. He remembered most of the events, he remembered Carol sticking by him even when he didn't want her to, and he remembered El-Bow. Poor, stupid, guilt-wracked El-Bow.

Laserblast's excuse had been that it was a trap. That he was ambushed as soon as he walked into the mystery lab and that everything happened so fast he hadn't managed to identify any villains. He was frankly stunned the rest of the team bought it, but Carol had immediately turned on El-Bow and yelled at him for stopping her from following Laser in.

Maybe it would have made a difference. Maybe it wouldn't. But blaming El-Bow was convenient. It made Laser into even more of an innocent victim. And after El-Bow "resigned" (Laser had always suspected it wasn't entirely his choice), not even Laser's obvious self-recrimination had changed the rest of the team's faith in him.

Eugene was saying something, forgiveness or reassurance, so Laser tried to focus on him again.

"I'm okay with where I am now," Eugene said. "But if I could change what I did back then-"

Laser held up a hand. "Don't think like that. You'll drive yourself nuts."

If he'd locked the door, if he'd planned ahead, if he'd been more  _ careful _ , if if if.

"You're right," Eugene said. "Thanks, Laserblast."

His eyes moved toward the door. Outside, where Laser's car waited. Where Boxmore loomed across the street.

"You were, uh… Your car."

"Yes?"

"I've seen it before." Eugene swallowed. "I've seen it at Boxmore. Not just a minute ago, I've seen it a  _ lot _ ."

"Ah."

And this was why Laser was here. Why he was suffering through this awkward conversation.

He rolled his sucker around in his mouth. He'd thought about this before, planned excuses. None of them were good, but he should have established enough goodwill just now to smooth over the gaps.

"It must look strange," Laser chuckled. "No wonder you seemed so _gobsmacked_ to see me."

"I- Uh-"

"I have to admit, it's a little embarrassing. Most of the rest of the team doesn't know about it. I haven't felt like I'm really pulling my weight ever since I lost my powers, no matter how often they tell me I'm still a valued member of POINT."

Rubbing in his status, reminding Eugene of what he'd lost.

"You're not buying robots, are you? I don't think- That guy's already got a reputation as a serious villain. He'd never sell anything to a _hero_ that wasn't bugged or rigged to explode."

"Boxman would never sell to a hero  _ at  all _ _,_ " Laser said, defensive on Boxman's behalf. "He's a villain first and a businessman second." Eugene's brow had wrinkled, so Laser added, "Unfortunately."

"Sounds like you… know him pretty well."

"I guess so," Laser agreed, flippantly. "I'm trying to get into that toothy little head of his, you know? He's got such an amazing mind, it's just a shame he uses it for evil."

"Wait, so you're… You're trying to turn him to good?" The look on Eugene's face was not confident. " _ Him _ _?_ "

"That's right," Laser said. "I'm making progress! I think he can be a real asset to POINT, and humanity in general." The words tasted unpleasant on his tongue, and he gave the sucker another swirl to counter it. He was starting to get through to the stick, he should have brought two.

"You know he keeps attacking this plaza just because he hates the idea of friendly gatherings?"

Laserblast had to hold back a laugh. That sounded like Boxy. "I didn't say it would be  _ soon _ _._ But if I can just show him the benefits of heroics, I'm sure he'll come around. Eventually."

"Why bother? Why waste your time on a pathetic villain like that?"

Laser's jaw clenched, but he kept smiling.

"I'm sure there's smarter ones, stronger ones-"

"It's not about  _ strength _ _._ "

"Isn't it? You said he could be an asset."

"He could! But I'm counseling _him_ because he's hearing me out. Not a lot of villains would."

Boxman wasn't the first villain Laser had been attracted to, but the depths of his crush had surprised even him. It was more than that now, and right from the start, seeing him in action… Boxman was special.

It felt like a betrayal of everything they had to pretend to be seducing him to the light side.

"If he wanted to be a hero before-"

"He doesn't," Laser snapped. "He never did."

"Then why are you trying?"

Why _was_ he trying? Was Eugene even buying this? All the questions could have been suspicion, or he could be questioning Laser's logic.

Laser buried his face in his hands, fingers pressing against his temples. "I have to do something," he said. "If I keep going on the way I have been, I'll lose my mind."

Eugene's voice was gentler when he spoke. "So it's like heroing on a smaller scale? You- you're trying to stop this villain through words? And kindness?"

"Who doesn't need a little kindness, right?" Laser raised his head to smile, but a wave of fatigue suddenly hit him and it dropped again. "Ugh."

"Um, Laserblast? Are you okay?"

His vision was spinning. "I'm just… tired."

Yeah, he was tired. Tired of lying. Tired of pretending. Tired of the false smiles and terrible excuses and being nice all day every day because that was what a hero  _ did _ . He'd been tired his whole life, and it wasn't going to end any time soon.

Eugene was talking again, but Laser wasn't listening. The thought of keeping up this story, this act, for the next few minutes was  _ exhausting . _

"I'm lying."

Eugene stopped whatever he was saying. "Wait, so you are sick?"

Laserblast laughed, low in his throat, the laugh that people told him was "a little manic" when they were being polite, and "psycho killer" when they weren't.

"Maybe I am," he said. The dizziness had passed, so Laser looked up. Eugene was on his feet, hovering over him out of concern that he didn't deserve.

Laserblast grinned. The reflection in Eugene's mirrored sunglasses did, indeed, look a little manic.

"Not about that. About everything else."

"Wh- what?"

"I'm not trying to reform Boxman. I like him exactly how he is."

The concern had turned to confusion. "What?"

"You've seen my car over there because I spend the night a couple times a week. I'm _sleeping_ with him."

Realization dawned, though Laser could see the struggle on Eugene's face as he searched for an explanation that wasn't the obvious one.

"You- He-  _ Him _ _?_ "

Laser scowled. "Must you use that tone?"

"I just- I-" He twisted his hands together. "Why a villain? Is it some kind of, uh, kink thing? Because no judgement, but-"

"Oh, judge away." Laser waved a hand. "It doesn't matter. That's what I just realized. _You_ don't matter."

Eugene's neck flushed red. Anger. But he hid it well, as large men had to learn to. "I'm sorry, Laserblast, I'm not sure I understand."

"What's not to get?" Laser stood, stretched. All of a sudden he felt like a million bucks. "I lied to you. I lie to lots of people." He looked at Eugene under half-lidded eyes. "I lie to my team almost every day."

He watched the way Eugene's cheek tensed as he clenched his jaw. " _ Why _ _?_ Why lie? If you're not giving away POINT secrets, it's none of their business who you date."

Laser tilted his head. Despite the physical signs of anger, Eugene still hadn't let it creep into his voice. "Oh… You really believe that, don't you? That's sweet."

His eyebrows rose and drew together. " _Are_ you giving away POINT secrets?"

Laserblast folded his arms. "I hardly _have_ to. POINT is at the top of the game because of our training and equipment, and to a lesser extent all the years of research on villains we have to draw on. None of that's a secret."

"But-"

" _And_ _,_ " Laser said, "that question you just asked is going to be the first thing _everyone_ asks when they find out. It won't be long before they decide I can't be trusted because of my association with a known villain."

"Oh… kay… so-"

"And as a chronic liar, _keeping_ that trust is very important to me."

Eugene's fingers flexed. "Why are you telling me this?" he asked, softly.

"I told you, Eugene," Laser pitched the name with venomous sweetness. "It's because  _ you don't  matter. _ "

"I matter," he said, still quiet.

"And I am _sure_ your mama believes that when she says it to you, but you really don't. Not to me, not to POINT, not to anyone who could affect my life."

"I- I could tell them."

"You think they'd _believe_ you? After how things ended?" Laser laughed, surprising even himself. "I owe you a thanks for that, actually. You have no idea how much you saved my posterior."

Eugene looked like he had whiplash. "I _saved_ you?"

"Oh yes. After all, if you hadn't stopped Sparks from rushing in after me, the two of you would have seen me destroying evidence."

His eyes widened.

"And it was so much easier to convince the team I was a victim when I had someone to  _ blame _ _._ Thanks for that too!"

"You- you were involved with the mysterious villain who had that lab?"

"Eugene." He smiled, wide and open. "I _am_ the mysterious villain."

The expression on Eugene's face was so shocked it was downright comical. Then it shifted to betrayed and hurt, and that was even  _ better _ _._ Honesty had its perks after all, it seemed.

"I wanted to be stronger. I got tired of everyone telling me I was already strong enough, so I started doing research in secret. And after awhile I needed a lab. And after _my work_ robbed Greyman of his powers, I couldn't exactly come clean, could I?"

Stunned, pale, Eugene said, "You could have. You really could have."

"Mm, but I didn't want to. Facing consequences isn't really my style."

Laser crunched through the last of the sugar clinging to the lollipop stick. He considered tossing it on the floor, but that would be evidence he'd been here and been acting unheroic. He stuck the half-chewed paper stick in a belt pocket and leaned back, hands on his hips.

"Well, Eugene? I'm done here if you are."

"I'll tell them," Eugene said, squaring his enormous shoulders. "It doesn't matter what they think of me, I have to tell them the truth."

"They'll just think you're jealous! Trying to ruin my reputation because I got you fired. Which I didn't, by the way. I didn't care about what happened to you at all."

"Carol will. Carol has to! If she knows you better than anyone, she must suspect-"

"She knows I'm a mess, if that's what you're wondering. But she trusts me enough to let me take care of our kid two days a week." Laser glared at his former teammate. "Has she spoken to you _once_ since you left? Has she apologized for blaming you? Has she _friended_ you online?"

Eugene's fists were clenched so hard they were shaking.

"Didn't think so." Laser gave him the smile he used for hospital patients. "Buck up, big guy. You never stood a chance _before_ either. Now maybe you can get over it. Date someone in your league."

His arm twitched. Just once.

Laserblast grinned. "Go on. _Do it._ See what it does to your credibility to punch a beloved pro hero who swung by to apologize to you for the way your professional relationship ended."

"You- you-" Veins had started to bulge on his neck and forehead from the effort of holding himself back. "You're no hero."

"But I am, Eugene! And you're not!" Laserblast spread his arms. " _Do it._ I'm _asking_ for it."

"Ordering," Eugene said. He took a shaky breath, and his muscles started to relax. "You're _ordering_ me to. And I don't take orders from you anymore."

"Aww. Right answer, Eugene. Unfortunately. I really would like to fight you one day."

"You will," Eugene said, darkly.

Laserblast laughed. But he believed it.

Eugene didn't stop him from walking out. Not even when Laser condescendingly patted his shoulder on the way to the door. He may have been staring at him from the window as he left, but Laser didn't do him the favor of looking back to check.

He drove across the highway to Boxmore, pulled all the way into the garage this time, and waited until the door slid down behind his car before he checked his phone.

In response to his message earlier, Boxman had only sent _ok_ and _play it safe._

He really did know him. Better than anyone else.

Now that it was over and the adrenaline was draining out of him, Laser wondered if he'd made a mistake. Admitting to sleeping with Boxman was one thing, but he'd admitted the big thing he _never_ wanted POINT to know about.

If Eugene did tell someone, and they decided to look into it - even to disprove it - they might find something. It was possible. However unlikely.

And it was too late to take it back without _killing_ Eugene, which was more effort than it was worth. Everything he'd said back there was true. No one in POINT would believe such a crazy story, and especially not coming from the former El-Bow. He was fine. Laserblast's reputation would be fine.

Something else was niggling at his mind. Something he'd said. But what? Why did it feel like he'd confessed more than he meant to?

Lost in thought, Laser almost tripped over Boxman before he saw him waiting for him. "Boxy!"

"Everything okay, LB?"

"Uh… Yes. Short answer, yes."

Boxman raised one eyebrow. "Long answer?"

Laser considered for a moment, and settled on a reply that best expressed everything he was feeling right now.

"That plaza has to go."

Immediately Boxman lit up. "That's what I've been _saying_ _!_ Oh, wait until I show you my latest plan. It's a doozy, and only a _slight_ chance of self-immolation."

"I'm in," Laser said. "Show me everything."

He'd tell Carol about "running into" Eugene tomorrow. Make it sound casual. Ask if she thought El-Bow might have had a crush on her, but laugh it off like he sympathized. That would lay a ground work for He Said-He Said, and Laser would definitely come across as the less crazy one.

For now, he had to help Boxman iron the wrinkles out of his plan. And possibly whip up a fire retardant out of household chemicals.

It was going to be a good night.


End file.
